24th Georgia Infantry Regiment
The 24th Georgia Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Unit History The 24th Infantry Regiment fought in the difficult campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days Battles to Gettysburg, then moved to Georgia with Longstreet. The 24th was not engaged at Chickamauga, but did see action in the Knoxville Campaign. In April, 1862, this regiment totalled 660 effectives, but in Sept 1862 it took heavy casualties as part of Cobb's Brigade during the Antietam Campaign where they lost forty-three percent of the 292 engaged at Crampton's Gap, and had 4 killed, 39 wounded, and 2 missing at Sharpsburg. There was a noteworthy battle in Dec 1862 at Fredericksburg, where the 24th Georgia and its Irish commander, Col Robert McMillan, repulsed an advanced by the Union's storied'' Irish Brigade''. Here it sustained 36 casualties at Fredericksburg. The unit reported 14 killed and 73 wounded at Chancellorsville, and of the 303 at Gettysburg, seventeen percent were disabled. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek and only 4 officers and 56 men surrendered on April 9, 1865. In 1863 it was moved to Georgia where it served in the Army of Tennessee. It next saw service in the Department of East Tennessee. In the spring of 1864 the regiment returned to the Army of Northern Virginia, remaining in that army until mid-summer 1864. It then moved to the Shenandoah Valley where it served in the Army of the Valley District. Finally, in December 1864, the unit returned to the Army of Northern Virginia, serving in that army for the remainder of the war. Organization The 24th Infantry Regiment, organized during the summer of 1861, recruited its members in White, Banks, Towns, Rabun, Gwinnett, Elbert, Hall, Franklin and ,Habersham counties of the state of Georgia. Its first commanding officer was Col. Robert McMillan until he resigned in 09 Jan 1864 at which time his long time assistant, Lt. Col. C.C. Sanders was elected to replace him. At that Robert E. McMillan was promoted to the new Lt Col of the Regiment. Other field officers were Lieutenant Colonels Joseph N. Chandler and Thomas E. Winn, and Majors Robert E. McMillan and Frederick C. Smith. Higher Command Assignments Listed below are the specific higher command assignments of the regiment. * Sep 30, 1861 - Attached, Coast Defense, Department of North Carolina * Apr 30, 1862 - Cobb's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Right of Position, Army of Northern Virginia * May 21, 1862 - Cobb's Brigade, Third Division, Army of Northern Virginia * Jul 21, 1862 - Second Brigade, McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Corps, Army of Northern Virginia * Sep 20, 1862 - Cobb's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Corps, Army of Northern Virginia * Dec 10, 1862 - Cobb's Brigade, McLaws' Division, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia * May 1, 1863 - Wofford's Brigade, McLaws' Division, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia * Oct 01, 1863 - Wofford's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Longstreet's Corps, Army of Tennessee * Dec 01, 1863 - Wofford's Brigade, McLaws' Division, Department of East Tennessee * May 1, 1864 - Wofford's Brigade, Kershaw's Division, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia * Oct 01, 1864 - Wofford's Brigade, Kershaw's Division, Second Corps, Army of the Valley District * Dec 31, 1864 - Wofford's Brigade, Kershaw's Division, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia * Apr 01, 1865 - DuBose's Brigade, Kershaw's Division, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia North Carolina Coastal Defenese Initially after its recruitments in the summer of 1861, the 24th Georgia was attached to the Department of North Carolina for Coastal Defense duties until April 1862. During this time the Union appeared to be on the verge of invading Carolina's Outter Banks. Siege of Yorktown The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown (1862) was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862 , as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder's small Confederate force at Yorktown behind the Warwick Line. To President Lincoln's dismay. McClellan suspended his march up the Peninsula toward Richmond and dug for siege operations. As of 30 April 1862, the 24th Georgia was stationed on coastal defense duty at Goldsboro, NC went it was hastily dispatched to reinforce the forces of Major General MacGruder at Yorktown. * Book: Yorktown's Civil War Siege: Drums Along the Warwick - By John V. Quarstein, J. Michael Moore (M.A.), J. Michael Moore. Peninsular Campaign The Peninsular Campaign ran from March to July 1862. *Skirmish, Ellison's Mills near Mechanicsville, Va. May 23, 1862 *Battle, Seven Pines, Fair Oaks, Va. May 31 - Jun 01, 1862 *Seven Days Battles Jun 25 - Jul 01, 1862 *Battle, Peach Orchard (Allen's Farm) near Fair Oaks Station Jun 29, 1862 *Battle, Savage Station, Va. Jun 29, 1862 *Battle, Malvern Hill, Crew's Farm (Poindexter's Farm) Jul 01, 1862 *Engagement, Malvern Hill, Va. Aug 05, 1862 *Campaign in Northern Virginia (Second Bull Run Campaign) Aug 16 - Sep 02, 1862 Maryland Campaign *Maryland Campaign Sep 06 - Sep 22, 1862 *Action, Maryland Heights, Md. Sep 12 - Sep 13, 1862 *Siege, Harper's Ferry, W. Va. Sep 13 - Sep 15, 1862 * Battle of Antietam, Sharpsburg, Md. Sep 16 - Sep 17, 1862 - in scene made famous in the movie, Gods and Generals, where Lt Col C.C. Sanders showed exceptional gallantry at the command of the brigade in the absense of T.W. Cobb. Hence the reference of this unit being attached to Cobb's Brigade. Battle of Fredericksburg *Operations in Loudoun, Fauquier, and Rappahannock Co, Va. Oct 26 - Nov 10, 1862 *Battle of Fredericksburg] Dec 12 - Dec 15, 1862 - Regiment takes heavy losses repulsing the Union Army's Irish Brigade. Chancellorsville Campaign *Chancellorsville Campaign Apr 27 - May 6, 1863 *Battle, Chancellorsville, Va. May 1 - May 5, 1863 Gettysburg Campaign *Gettysburg Campaign Jun 03 - Aug 01, 1863 *Battle, Gettysburg, Pa. Jul 01 - Jul 03, 1863 *Retreat to near Manassas Gap, Va. Jul 05 - Jul 24, 1863 *Skirmish near Manassas Gap, Va. Jul 23, 1863 Tennessee Assignment *Battle, Chickamauga, Ga. Sep 19 - Sep 21, 1863 *Siege, Chattanooga, Tenn. Sep 24 - Oct 30, 1863 *Engagement, Wauhatchie, Tenn. Oct 28 - Oct 29, 1863 *Knoxville Campaign Nov 04 - Dec 23, 1863 *Skirmish, Little River, Tenn. Nov 15, 1863 *Siege, Knoxville, Tenn. Nov 17 - Dec 04, 1863 *Assault, Forts Saunders and Loudon, Knoxville, Tenn. Nov 29, 1863 *Operations about Dandridge, Tenn. Jan 16 - Jan 17, 1864 Wilderness Campaign *Wilderness Campaign May 4 - Jun 12, 1864 *Battle, Wilderness, Va. May 5 - May 7, 1864 *Battles about Spotsylvania Court House, Laurel Hill, Ni River, Fredericksburg Road, Va. May 8 - May 21, 1864 *Assault on the Salient, Spotsylvania Court House, Vs. May 12, 1864 *Operations on the line of the North Anna River, Va. May 22 - May 26, 1864 *Operations on the line of the Pamunkey River, Va. May 26 - May 28, 1864 *Operations on the line of the Totopotomoy River, Va. May 28 - May 31, 1864 *Battles about Cold Harbor, Va. Jun 01 - Jun 12, 1864 Siege of Petersburg *of Petersburg| Siege Operations against Petersburg and Richmond, Va. Jun 16 - Jun 30, 1864 *1st Battle of Deep Bottom - Jul 27-29, 1864 *2nd Battle of Deep Bottom - Aug 14-20, 1864 *Sheridan's Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, Va. Aug 07 - Nov 28, 1864 *Engagement, Cedarville, Guard Hill (Front Royal), Va. Aug 16, 1864 *Action, Bunker Hill, W. Va. Sep 02 - Sep 03, 1864 *Battle, Opequon, Winchester, Va. Sep 19, 1864 *Battle, Fisher's Hill, Woodstock, Va. Sep 22, 1864 *Battle, Cedar Creek, Middletown, Belle Grove, Va. Oct 19, 1864 *Siege Operations against Petersburg and Richmond, Va. Dec ??, 1864 - Apr 02, 1865 *Appomattox Campaign Mar 28 - Apr 09, 1865 *Engagement, Sailor's Creek, Va. Apr 06, 1865 *Engagement, Clover Hill, Appomattox Court House, Va. Apr 09, 1865 *Surrender, Appomattox Court House, Va. Apr 09, 1865 Duty Roster The 24th Georgia Infantry Regiment was organized during the summer of 1861, recruited its members primarily in White, Banks, Towns, Rabun, Gwinnett, Elbert, and Hall counties. Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,440 men on its roster for this unit. Actual unit enrollment was about 660. NPS Roster. Primary Roster Data Source : Georgia, and Lillian Henderson. 1959. Roster of the Confederate soldiers of Georgia, 1861-1865. Hapeville, Ga: Longina & Porter. WorldCat FHL Collection HATHI TRUST Digital Library HATHI TRUST Regimental Officers Officers, Non-Commissioned Offices, and Staff: Georgia Roster - Page 1 * Col. Robert McMillan (1805-1868) - The Irishman - Born in Antrim, Ireland in 1805. Resident of Habersham County and a Georgia State Senator in 1855-56. Colonel 30 Aug 1861. Played a key role in repulsing the advance of Union's Irish Brigade at Fredericksburg in Dec 1862. Afterwards left to run for office in the Confederate Congress and eventually would resign his commission in 09 Jan 1864. He would later return to the Atlanta Campaign as commander of the 4th Georgia Militia. * Col. Christopher Columbus Sanders (1838-1908) - Lt Col - 30 Aug 1861. Defacto commander from Jan 1863 onwards. Elected Colonel 09 Jan 1864. Antietam Campaign: He was in command of the Brigade at Sharpsburg on the 17th in the absence of BGen Howell Cobb. He was wounded at Spottsylvania Court House, and captured at Sayler's Creek in 06 Apr 1865. He was imprisoned at Washington DC, then Johnson's Island, before being released in 24 Jul 1865 from Sandusky, Ohio. Ref: Antietam Battle Registry. Monument - Photograph showing the former home to the U.S. Post Office in Gainesville, GA, built prior to 1911. It is located on the southwest corner of South Green Street & East Washington Street. In the corner on South Green Street is the Confederate monument (destroyed by the 1936 tornado) dedicated to Col. C.C. Sanders. After the War: He was a merchant and banker in south Georgia, then at Gainesville - founding and being President of the State Banking Company (Gainesville) by 1890. Col C.C. Sanders originated from Banks County, Georgia and had many relatives (distant cousins / in-laws) enlisted in Company A. * Chandler, Joseph N. - Lt Col 09 Jan 1864 - See Captain, Co A. * Winn, Thomas Elijah - Major 06 May 1864. Lt Col 10 Sep 1864 - See 1st Lt, Co F. * McMillan, R.E. - Major 24 Aug 1861. Wounded in right let at Sharpsburg, MD, 17 Sep 1862. Resigned on account of wounds 08 Jan 1864 * Smith, Frederick C. - Major 10 Sep1864. See Private - Co C. * Banks, D.E. - Adjutant 24 Aug 1861 * Oliver, Thomas P - Lieutenant and Adjutant. See 5th Sergeant, Co A. * Reynolds, John A. - Chaplain 29 Aug 1861. Dropped from rolls 11 June 1863. * Keerl, Robert D. - Sgt Major 15 Nov 1862. See private, Co K. * Mose, A. Wallace - Sgt Major 01 May 1864. See private, Co D. * Pruitt, Samuel W. - Enlisted as a private in Co A. 2nd Regt Ga. Inf, 20 Apr 1861. Appointed Captain & Assistant Quartermaster of the 24th Ga. Inf. 21 Sep 1861. Dropped for failure to give bond 24 Feb 1862. * Turner, Allen Shadrack - Assistant Quartermaster 22 May 1862. See 1st Lt, Co. B * Oliver, Dionicious Cran - Quartermaster Sergeant. See private, Co A. * Blackburn, John W. - Ordinance Sergeant 01 July 1864. See private, Co F. * Piggott, William M. - Surgeon 01 Nov 1861. See 1st Lt, Co C. * Starr, E.F. - Surgeon 01 Nov 1861. See 1st Lt, Co C. * McMannon, L.D. - Assistant Surgeon. Admitted to General Hospital #4 at Wilmington, NC with chronic rheumatism 06 Mar 1864. Returned to duty 17 May 1864. Surrendered, Appomattox VA 09 Apr 1865. * Mitchell, Tandy Key - Assistant Surgeon 04 Jan 1862. See private, Co F. * McKinney, James D. - Hospital Steward. See private, Co C. * Charlton, Felix E. - Hospital Steward. See private, Co K. * Jarrard, Joseiah D. - Acting Hospital Steward. See private, Co C. * Terrell, Kennan T. - Commissary Sergeant. See private, Co F. * Brows, Robert F. - Commissary Sergeant. See private, Co F. * Arnold, Medicus F. - Captain & A.C.S. See private, Co K. * Whitworth, J.W. - Ensign 20 July 1864. Killed at Cedar Creek VA 19 Oct 1864 * Sears, Wyatt C. - Ensign 07 Nov 1864. See private, Co C. Company A Independent Volunteers '' ' Recruited primarily from Banks County which had been part of Franklin County until its creation in 1858. Therefore Franklin County will usually display as place of birth. Georgia Roster - Page 2 Officer Roster: * '''Chandler, Joseph N. - Captain 24 Aug 1861. Elected Lt Col 08 Jan 1864. Resigned 10 Sep 1864. * Turk, John N. - 1st Lieutenant 24 Aug 1861. Elected Captain 25 Mar 1864. On furlough 18 July 1864. * Owen, Frances M. - 2nd Lieutenant 24 Aug 1861. Resigned, diability, 27 Sep 1862. * Little, James M. - 2nd Lieutenant 24 Aug 1861. Resigned 25 Jan 1862, * Griffin, Thomas B. - 1st Sergeant 24 Aug 1861. Discharged disability in New Kent County, VA 14 May 1862. * Brewer, John W. - 2nd Sergeant 24 Aug 1861. Transfered to Co A, 2nd Regt Ga Inf 01 Mar 1863. Appointed Corporal, Surrendered Appomattox VA 09 Apr 1865. * Bowling, William - 3rd Sergeant 24 Aug 1861. Discharged 23 Oct 1864. * Rucker, Enoch A (1843-1920) - 4th Sergeant - 2nd Lt, 24 Aug 1861, paroled at Lynchburg, VA 15 Apr 1865. All 3 Ruckers in Company A (see below) are cousins and related in several marriages to the Sanders. * Oliver, Thomas P - 5th Sergeant 24 Aug 1861. Elected 2nd Lt 01 Oct 1862, 1st Lt 25 Mar 1864. Appointed Lieutenant and Adjutant this regiment. Appointed Lieutenant and AAAG for Dubose's Brigade. Surrendered, Appomattox VA 09 Apr 1865. * Smith, John C - 1st Corporal 24 Aug 1861. Sent to Richmond VA Sick 23 Nov 1862. Surrendered Augusta GA 23 May 1865. * Keesee, George A.F. - 2nd Corporal 24 Aug 1861. Wounded at Chancellorsville VA 03 May 1863. Captured at Cold Harbor BA 01 Jun 1864. Released at Elmira NY 29 May 1865. * Pool, Elijah C - 3rd Corporal 24 Aug 1861. Died 11 Jun 1862. * Hooper, Richard L- 4th Corporal 24 Aug 1861. Discharged, over-age 01 Nov 1862. Soldier Roster: * Aaron, W.R. - Private 06 Sep 1862 - Captured (date and place not stated), Paroled at City Point VA 24 Aug 1863. Wounded in leg, necessitating amputation, at Chickamauga GA, 19 Sep 1863. * Adkins, Jefferson - Private 24 Aug 1861. On sick furlough 31 Oct 1861. No later record. (Born in Jackson County, GA 18 Jan 1841). * Allen, Hiram D - Private 24 Aug 1861. Died of pneumonia in South Carolina Hospital at Port Jefferson, Charlottesville VA 10 Nov 1862. * Anderson, Harvey R - Private 24 Aug 1861. Wounded and captured at Crampton's Gap, MD 14 Sep 1862. Paroled Oct 1862. Roll dated 30 Jan 1865, last on file, shows him absent without leave. * Anderson, John L - Private 24 Aug 1861. Roll dated 30 Jan 1865, last on file, shows him absent without leave. * Anderson, William B - Private 24 Aug 1861. Admitted to General Hospital at Howard's Grove Farm, Richmond VA 05 Jun 1863. Returned to duty 18 Jul 1863. Transferred to Co B, 3rd Btn GA Sharpshooters 08 Jun 1863. Returned to duty from hospital 18 Jul 1864. On furlough of indulgence 31 Aug 1864. Paroled at Athens BA 08 May 1865. * Ariel, Samuel A - Private 24 Aug 1861. Discharged, disability at Richmond VA 10 Sep 1862. * Arnold, William A - Private 24 Aug 1861. Died of acute rheumatism at General Hospital #4 - Richmond VA 28 Dec 1862. Buried there in Hollywood Cemetery. -------- * Meeks, James C - Private 24 Aug 1861. Appointed 4th Sergeant in 1864. Wounded and captured at Cold Harbor VA 01 Jun 1864. Sent to Point Lookout MD and then to Elmira NY, thence to West's Bldgs USA General Hospital in Baltimore MD where his right arm was amputated in 1864. Paroled at said hospital and sent to Jame sRiver VA for exchange 16 Feb 1865. Died 25 Mar 1865, buried in Hollywood Cemetery - Richmond VA. * Meeks, William H - Private 24 Aug 1861. Wounded in right arm, resulting in amputation near shoulder at Chickamauga 20 Sep 1863. Died in 1915. -------- * Rucker, Armour Mack (1844-) - In-law relative to Cpl. Sanders, A.J. (1831-1909) (see below). Private 24 Aug 1861. Appointed 1st Corporal in 1864; 1st Sergeant. Captured at Farmsville, 06 Apr 1865, Released at Point Lookout, MD on 17 Jun 1865. * Rucker, Moses (1840-1862) - Brother-in-law to Sanders, Matthew H (1836-1864) (see below). Private 24 Aug 1861. Admitted to Lovingston Hospital at Winchester VA with typhoid fever, 30 Aug 1862. No later record. Probably died there. * Rylee, Thomas - Private 24 Aug 1861. Captured at Cedar Creek VA 19 Oct 1864. Sent from Harper's Ferry to Point Lookout on 23 Oct 1864. No later record. * Sanders, Aaron C. - Private 16 Sep 1862. Discharged, disability, 29 May 1862. From Banks Co. * Sanders, A.J. (1831-1909) - Distant cousin to Col C.C. Sanders. Private 01 Mar 1862. Appointed Corporal. Wounded at 2nd Battle of Deep Bottom 16 Aug 1864. Roll dated 30 Jan 1865, last on file, shows him at home on furlough recovering from wounds. From Banks Co. * Sanders, Matthew H (1836-1864) - Private 06 Mar 1862. Died while home on sick furlough 01 Apr 1864. Cousin to A.J Sanders and both them were married to cousins of the Ruckers listed above. * Sanders, Samuel H. - Private 24 Aug 1861. Appears last on roll for 31 Oct 1861. Company B Hart County Company '' ' Recruited primarily from Hart County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 12 Company C ''White County Company '' ' Recruited primarily from White County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 21 Company D 'Hiawassee Volunteers '' ' Recruited primarily from Towns County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 31 Company E Rabun Gap Riflemen '' ' Recruited primarily from Rabun County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 37 Company F ''Grinnett Independent Blues '' ' Recruited primarily from Gwinnett County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 44 Company G 'Hall County Company '' ' Recruited primarily from Hall County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 54 Company H Currahee Rangers '' ' Recruited primarily from Franklin County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 63 Company I ''Glade Guards Volunteer Rifles '' ' Recruited primarily from Hall County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 70 Company K 'McMillan Guards '' ' Recruited primarily from Habersham County GA. Georgia Roster - Page 80 References * Beginning United States Civil War Research -gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘Georgia in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below). * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information. * Georgia in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Georgia, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc. * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc. * Lillian Hendersen, comp., Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, 1861-65, six volumes, is a published roster of Georgia Confederate soldiers who served in the infantry. (Hapeville, Georgia: Longino and Porter, 1960-64); FHL book 975.8 M22h; on 3 films 1033660 items 3-4, 1033661, and 1033662 and FHL microfiche 6082336. * Sutton, E. H. Civil War stories. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990), FHL fiche 6082370 * 24th Regiment, C.S.A. - this website explains some history of this unit as well as its commanders and battles. * NPS History of the 24th Georgia * History of Cobb's Legion - 24th Georgia at Battle of Antietam. * 24th Georgia Co H Association - Historical Society for the Currahee Rangers. * Robert McMillan and the 24th Georgia - * Test of 24th Georgia Rosters -USG War Archives. * American History - Who did the Irish fight at Fredericksburg? Category:Georgia (U.S. state) Confederate Civil War regiments